Karak Chat

About Karak Chat

Karak Chat started over a casual cup of karak with friends in Dubai — just real talk about life, work, and everything in between. That’s when we realised: these conversations deserve a mic. This podcast brings you unfiltered chats with guests from all walks of life — different cultures, careers, and backgrounds. We dive into their stories, challenges, wins, and what it really takes to build a life in the UAE and beyond. Whether you're living in Dubai, aspiring to move, or navigating a similar lifestyle anywhere in the world — this is your space.

Publisher

Zeyan, Vishall and Prateek

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

7 Oct 2023

Latest episode

16 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

40 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Sept 2026

   If I Had AED 2 Million, Here’s Where I’d Invest in Dubai

   If you had AED 2 million to invest in Dubai real estate today, where would you put it?In this episode of Karak Chat, I sit down with Kamal from Kirpa Properties to understand Dubai real estate from the perspective of someone who actually works with buyers and investors every day.Instead of keeping the conversation theoretical, I gave Kamal different scenarios, from an international investor sitting outside the UAE with AED 2 million, to someone living in Dubai wondering whether they should continue renting or finally buy their own home.In this conversation:• Why Kamal chose Dubai real estate• The reality of working 14–15 hour days as an agent• Why rejection and consistency matter in real estate• Dubai's current real estate market• Freehold vs leasehold explained• Off-plan vs ready properties• How 50/50 property payment plans work• Whether non-residents can get mortgages in Dubai• Rental ROI vs capital appreciation• Apartments vs townhouses• What Kamal would do with AED 2 million• Why Dubai South is attracting investors• Areas to consider if you're buying a home for yourself• How to calculate property ROI• Why some buyers should consider buying instead of renting• The responsibility real estate agents have when handling investors' money• How mentorship helped Kamal build her careerThis podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial or investment advice. Property returns, valuations and market conditions can change, so always conduct your own due diligence before investing.---------------00:00 – Introduction01:05 – Who is Kamal?02:17 – Why she chose real estate03:48 – Growing from newcomer to team leader in 2 years04:17 – Working 14–15 hours a day05:03 – Should you become a Dubai real estate agent?07:08 – Sacrificing your personal time for success08:05 – What's happening in Dubai real estate right now?10:09 – Is this still a good time to invest in Dubai?11:01 – Why Dubai real estate is different12:00 – Freehold vs leasehold explained15:03 – Off-plan vs ready property16:03 – How off-plan payment plans work18:03 – Your options when an off-plan property is completed19:36 – How much can property appreciate?20:02 – What if I have AED 2 million to invest?21:44 – Understanding an investor's actual goal22:21 – Why diversification matters23:24 – Can AED 2 million get you a villa?24:39 – Best areas for villas and townhouses25:39 – Can agents promise property appreciation?27:23 – What international investors should check29:50 – Unrealistic buyers and fake leads32:23 – Are Dubai property ROI claims realistic?33:19 – The average rental ROI in Dubai34:19 – The biggest challenge for real estate agents35:09 – What would he do with AED 2 million?36:45 – Off-plan for capital appreciation37:17 – Why Dubai South?38:12 – Can townhouses appreciate 40–50%?39:03 – Buying a AED 4M property with AED 2M41:18 – What if you can't pay at handover?42:40 – Selling before handover as an exit strategy43:13 – The AED 4M to AED 6M example46:16 – Do developers overpromise?47:33 – Townhouse vs apartment48:21 – How to calculate rental ROI51:10 – Real estate vs the stock market51:47 – Emotional buyers vs strategic investors52:32 – Should you buy instead of rent?54:45 – Is Dubai South too far from the city?57:48 – Best areas to buy a home in Dubai59:30 – Dubai Silicon Oasis as an investment01:02:05 – How to start a career in real estate01:03:14 – The responsibility of handling investors' money01:05:33 – How personal branding creates trust01:06:18 – How Kamal learned Dubai real estate01:06:41 – The importance of mentorship01:08:48 – Confidence comes from knowledge01:09:05 – Can you start investing with AED 500K?01:11:03 – Why studios are better for rental yield01:11:34 – Studios vs 1BR vs 2BR vs townhouses01:13:04 – Kamal's final advice for Dubai property buyers01:13:31 – What does success mean to Kamal?

2. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Why Your LinkedIn Isn't Bringing You the Right Opportunities ft. Rashiqua Feroze

   Your LinkedIn profile might be doing more than just sitting there. It could be shaping how recruiters, clients, founders and potential business partners see you before you ever speak to them.In this episode of Karak Chat, I sit down with Personal Branding Strategist Rashiqua Feroze to talk about what it really takes to build a powerful personal brand on LinkedIn.Rashiqua works with founders, executives and professionals to build their presence on LinkedIn, and during our conversation, she even audits my own profile and points out what I’m doing right, what I’m doing wrong, and what I need to change.We talk about why LinkedIn is no longer just a platform for finding jobs, how storytelling can help you stand out, why raw and authentic content often works better than overly polished content, and how consistently showing up online can create opportunities you never expected.We also get into LinkedIn SEO, profile optimization, headlines, About sections, recommendations, content strategy, the metrics that actually matter, and how long it takes to start seeing results.But this conversation goes beyond LinkedIn.Rashiqua and I also talk about entrepreneurship, building a business in the UAE, authenticity online, faith, Tawakkul, increasing your “luck surface area,” dealing with difficult clients, and what success actually means when you’re still ambitious for more.If you're a working professional, founder, entrepreneur or someone trying to build a personal brand, this episode will give you a completely different perspective on what your LinkedIn profile can do for you.Because sometimes the next opportunity doesn't come from you searching for it.It comes from someone finding you.🎙️ Karak Chat with Rashiqua Feroze#LinkedIn #PersonalBranding #LinkedInTips #CareerGrowth #Entrepreneurship #KarakChatChapters00:00 Raw content beats perfection00:55 Meet personal branding strategist Rashiqua Feroze02:19 Moving to Dubai and becoming an entrepreneur03:05 How she discovered the personal branding opportunity04:23 Why founders need to build their own brand06:53 What if you're uncomfortable on camera?09:16 Does the internet really want perfection?11:04 Should your first hire be a social media strategist?13:00 Who actually needs personal branding?15:03 LinkedIn isn't just for finding jobs17:15 Why storytelling works on LinkedIn17:49 What type of LinkedIn content performs?20:14 Rashiqua ROASTS my LinkedIn profile21:26 My first big LinkedIn mistake23:03 What your LinkedIn cover should say25:06 How to write a powerful LinkedIn headline27:37 Fixing your LinkedIn About section30:08 How often should you post?30:22 Why you need a Featured section32:05 Can LinkedIn actually help you get hired?33:14 Your Digital Professional Presence34:51 What is a Google Knowledge Panel?37:14 Can ChatGPT recommend you to potential clients?38:31 Why LinkedIn is easier than Instagram and YouTube39:35 The LinkedIn metrics you should actually track42:26 One thing I actually did right on LinkedIn43:38 The biggest mistake people make with personal branding45:44 How much does LinkedIn personal branding cost?48:26 Building a personal branding agency49:08 The biggest challenge in personal branding50:28 Advice for aspiring personal branding strategists52:58 5 steps to start growing on LinkedIn54:33 Faith, effort and Tawakkul57:38 How to increase your “luck surface area”59:48 Why Tawakkul shapes her life1:00:42 “Tie your camel” and then trust God1:02:14 Being a woman entrepreneur in the UAE1:04:59 What does success really mean?1:07:28 The most difficult type of client1:08:31 Should you create an online persona?1:11:15 The perfect client1:12:34 What's next for her business?1:13:57 Her question for me1:14:21 Tomorrow is always too late

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   She Moved to Dubai With No Job. 3 Years Later, She’s Building Her Own Company ft. Maya Biloju

   Guest: Maya BilojuFollow Maya on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maya.bliojuHost: Vishall BoppanaFollow Vishall onInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/vishallboppana/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vishall.boppanaLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bvishall/---------------What happens when you move to Dubai with no job, no apartment, one connection and only €5,000 in your bank account?In this episode of Karak Chat, I sit down with Maya to talk about her journey from Romania to Belgium, from electromechanical engineering to startups, and eventually to building her own media business in Dubai.Maya originally studied electromechanical engineering and even worked on projects connected to BMW. But she quickly realised that the traditional 9-to-5 path wasn't for her.That decision took her into the startup world, where she helped build a VR platform for the dental industry, worked across Europe and the Middle East, discovered marketing and content creation, and eventually visited Dubai in 2023.During that first trip, she decided: "I'm gonna make this my home."Five months later, she came back with around €5,000, no job and nowhere permanent to live.After LinkedIn didn't get her results, she started attending networking events. One conversation led to another, and within three weeks she had found a job and moved into her own place.We talk about why networking matters so much in Dubai, how business culture here differs from Europe, dealing with rejection, learning how to close deals, starting a business in the UAE, building a personal brand, AI and the future of content creation.We also get into the reality of "fake it till you make it", why building in public could become one of the most powerful personal branding strategies, women in marketing and real estate, and one of Maya's biggest lessons from Dubai:You need to move fast.This isn't just a conversation about moving to Dubai. It's about taking risks, adapting quickly, building relationships and creating opportunities when there isn't an obvious path in front of you.If you're thinking about moving to Dubai, starting a business, building a personal brand or simply trying to take the next step in your career, this conversation is for you.---------------00:00 Why Starting a Business in Dubai Is Different01:05 From Engineering to Entrepreneurship03:25 Building a VR Startup During COVID05:49 Why Startups Changed Her Mindset06:16 Will AI Replace Corporate Jobs?09:00 Using AI in Work and Relationships13:54 Why Her First Startup Shut Down17:09 The Dubai Story Begins19:39 "I'm Gonna Make This My Home"20:01 Learning to Sell to High-Net-Worth Clients21:26 Moving to Dubai With €5,000 and No Job23:28 Why LinkedIn Didn't Work for Her24:02 The Networking Event That Changed Everything26:58 Finding a Job in Dubai Within 3 Weeks31:56 Why Networking Is So Powerful in Dubai34:49 Learning How to Close Big Deals40:36 How N3 Media Started43:19 Building a Media and AI Content Agency47:55 How Easy Is It to Start a Business in Dubai?52:19 Why I Started Karak Chat56:49 Why Dubai Changes Ambitious People58:46 The Future of N3 Media and AI01:01:01 The Secret to Building Client Relationships01:02:25 Fake It Till You Make It?01:03:58 Why You Should Build in Public01:05:32 Women in Marketing and Business01:08:36 Women in Dubai Real Estate01:13:15 The Biggest Lesson Dubai Taught Her01:14:50 What Does Success Mean?---------------Follow and Subscribe us:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karakchat/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61578557062520LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/karak-chat/---------------🎧 Stream Karak Chat episodes on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0pOcL4TvLogMD8xoOKYQtS?si=BYZi7zQbRdq5DAWkqKt-_g🎧 Stream Karak Chat episodes on Apple podcast:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/karak-chat/id1731995747

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